LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE, Nos. 1270 and 2566

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: JUNE 23, 2026

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Eliminates statute of limitations for human trafficking prosecutions and extends statute of limitations for civil cases arising from human trafficking

Type of Impact:

Annual State expenditure and revenue increases; annual local expenditure increase.

Agencies Affected:

The Judiciary, Department of Law and Public Safety, Counties.

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

 

Annual 

 

 

State Expenditure Increase

 

Indeterminate

 

 

State Revenue Increase

 

Indeterminate

 

 

Local Expenditure Increase

 

Indeterminate

 

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds that this bill would result in annual indeterminate State expenditure and revenue increases. The Judiciary will incur an indeterminate increase in annual operating expenditures, as additional resources will likely have to be allocated to a potentially increased civil caseload from the extension of the civil statute of limitations.  The OLS also anticipates collections from court filing fees to grow in tandem with the caseload.

·         The OLS notes that the elimination of criminal statute of limitations may result in increased prosecutions for the Department of Law and Public Safety and county prosecutors.  This may lead to an increase in caseload and administrative expenses.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

The bill eliminates the statute of limitations for the criminal prosecutions of human trafficking, and extends the statute of limitations under which a victim of human trafficking may bring a civil suit against the perpetrator.

      There is currently no statute of limitations for prosecutions for the following crimes: murder; manslaughter; sexual assault; and criminal offenses arising from violations of certain environmental statutes concerning widespread injury or damage.  However, a prosecution for human trafficking must be commenced, by way of an indictment, within five years after the offense is committed.  Additionally, a civil suit brought by a victim must also be filed within five years.

      Under the bill, a criminal prosecution may be commenced at any time.  Also, under the bill, a civil suit may be filed within 10 years of the conduct, within 10 years of a victim turning 18 years of age if the victim is a minor, or within two years of a victim’s discovery of the injury, whichever is later.

      Under the bill, the civil statute of limitations will not begin to run until the continuing course of conduct related to the human trafficking of the plaintiff is terminated.  Furthermore, the statute of limitations may be suspended for any period of time during which the plaintiff is under a disability, which includes any intellectual disability, hospitalization for mental illness, or finding of mental incapacity.  Finally, the bill prohibits a defendant who coerced a plaintiff to delay filing suit by means of intimidation, duress, threats, or fraud from asserting a defense that the statute of limitations has already run.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS notes that the Judiciary will incur an indeterminate increase in annual operating expenditures, as additional resources will likely have to be allocated to a potentially increased civil caseload from the extension of the civil statute of limitations for lawsuits related to human trafficking.  The OLS also anticipates collections from court filing fees to grow in tandem with the caseload.

      The OLS notes that the elimination of criminal statute of limitations may result in increased prosecutions for the Department of Law and Public Safety and county prosecutors.  This may lead to an increase in caseload and administrative expenses.

      Furthermore, it should be noted that the Attorney General listed combating human trafficking as one of her top five priorities in her April 8, 2026 testimony to the Assembly Budget Committee, and that there is a dedicated Human Trafficking Unit in the Division of Criminal Justice.

 

Section:

Judiciary

Analyst:

Anuja Pande Joshi

Senior Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).